The Pharayus Deal
by dragoncymru
Summary: The Doctor, Katherine and Megan return to modern day London where an important conference is being held. But what is the sinister secret of the Pharayus Corporation? And which delegate has a connection with one of the TARDIS crew?


The Doctor leant closer to the screen as the alien mother-ship flew towards him Adventure 11: The Pharayus Deal

**Prologue**

The Doctor leant closer to the screen as the alien mother-ship flew towards him. He stared intently at the craft, its laser turrets firing remorselessly at the defences, and he knew what he had to do. He gripped the joystick tightly, his hand slippery with sweat as he aimed for the only weak point.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he whispered.

After what felt like an eternity, he pressed the trigger and his missile streaked away. The Doctor held his breath, the ship had almost battered his force-shields to nothing, but his aim was true and with a huge explosion, the alien ship vanished from the screen.

"Fantastic!" The Doctor let out a huge whoop of delight and grinned.

There was a small cough from besides him and the Doctor glanced sideways to see a small boy looking up at him accusingly. The Doctor's expression of joy changed to a sheepish smile and he stepped away from the Space Invaders machine. He patted it affectionately. "Just love these old retro machines, don't you?" he asked the small boy, who just glared back in response.

Smiling proudly, the Doctor looked around the video arcade that was packed with children and teenagers of all descriptions. Lights flashed, chimes sounded and sirens rang, but all the players were intent on shooting, karate chopping or bludgeoning something into submission. His smile turned to a guilty frown and he walked from the arcade and onto the busy London street.

He looked at his watch. How long did Katherine and Megan need to go shopping anyway?

Carolyn Williams typed the last key of the message on her laptop before pressing 'Send'. The screen filled with the stylised logo of 'UK Media', before giving a short chime. She pushed the computer away from her on her large oak desk and sat back in the deep leather chair. She let out a large breath and gave a small, satisfied smile.

Her smile turned to a frown as her eyes met those of her daughter who smiled from a round gold-framed photograph on her desk. She picked up the photograph with a small sigh

She hadn't seen Megan in nearly six months.

**1.**

Megan checked her watch as she waited outside the changing room again. She smiled ruefully to herself. It was her own fault. She had introduced Katherine to the wonder of shopping for clothes back on Reef City One and now there was no putting the genie back in the bottle! As soon as the Doctor had announced they had landed in London in 2008, Katherine had immediately suggested some 'retail therapy' – another phrase she had picked up from Megan. The Doctor had just looked at them with raised eyebrows and told them he'd meet up later after they had got it out of their system.

"Are you going to be much longer?" Megan called.

"Just one more top!" came Katherine's muffled reply.

Megan sighed good-naturedly and looked around 'Henrik's'. They had a branch in Cardiff of course where Megan had shopped on day trips with her friends from Aberystwyth, but not as big as this one in Oxford Street. Apparently this store had burnt down a few years ago. It had certainly recovered though and was as busy as ever with the midweek bustle of shoppers.

Suddenly, Megan heard a stifled gasp from another one of the changing cubicles, followed by a cry of pain.

Megan took a few steps towards the cubicle. "Are you alright?" she called.

There was another small cry.

Katherine poked her head out from her changing cubicle. "Is everything alright?"

"I don't know," replied Megan with concern. She turned back to the other cubicle. "Look, I'm coming in okay?" She tried to push open the door gently but it seemed stuck. It wasn't locked but there was something heavy against it. Megan pushed a bit harder and looked down to see the body of a young woman slumped against it. "Oh my God!" breathed Megan and put her weight against the door so she could get in. "Katherine, quickly, I need help!"

Megan squeezed into the cubicle. The young woman was in her mid twenties with long dark hair and looked as if she was having some kind of fit.

Katherine appeared next to Megan. "Hold onto her, make sure she doesn't hit her head," she said quickly.

Megan nodded and bent down to hold the woman's arms. "It's alright, you're safe now. Kath, check her bag, she might need medication or something?"

The woman gave a sudden jerk and her eyes stared. Megan watched with fear as suddenly something metallic crawled out of the woman's ear.

**2.**

Megan jumped back with a cry at the nightmarish sight. It was a silvery oozing liquid, about half a cup in volume, which seemed to contain dozens of tiny metallic creatures that thrashed and spun within it.

Katherine looked down and gasped in shock.

Like living mercury, the liquid ran across the floor of the changing cubicle and vanished into a small air vent.

"What was that?" whispered Katherine.

Megan shrugged. "I don't know, but I don't think it did her any good!" She bent down and felt the woman's neck. There was no pulse. "She's dead!" Megan gently closed the woman's staring eyes. "That … thing wasn't natural was it?"

Katherine shrugged. "I'm not from around here remember? But it looked……alien."

Megan sighed. Another shopping trip ruined. "Then we'd better find the Doctor!" Then she remembered guiltily about the poor woman who had died. "We'd better call an ambulance and tell the shop staff." Megan looked around the cubicle and spotted the woman's handbag. She reached over and rummaged around inside it.

"What are you doing?" asked Katherine.

"Looking for some ID or clue," replied Megan. "Ah, here we are." She produced a purse and found an identity badge. "This is Chloe Ward, she worked as a receptionist at the 'Ambassador' Hotel." Megan got to her feet. "Well that's a start. Let's go and find the Doctor!"

Carolyn Williams caught her reflection in the mirrored pillar, and straightened the creases of her expensive white linen suit. She leant closer to the mirror, pushing her short dark blonde hair away from her face. She was getting some wrinkles around the forehead. Perhaps she had better phone the clinic?

She looked appreciatively around the lobby of the hotel. It was all very modern and had been decorated in chrome and glass with expensive white marble floors and pillars. They had certainly spared no expense in staging the conference here. This was one of the top hotels in London and booking all the rooms and conference suites must have been difficult to say the least.

A handsome man in his thirties walked towards her, his hand outstretched. "Ms Williams? My name's Alex Dixon. Welcome to the 'Ambassador' hotel."

**3.**

The Doctor sat in the coffee shop as he listened intently to Megan and Katherine's story.

Megan had stayed to talk to the ambulance crew and police that had arrived at Henrik's. She had told them she was staying with friends in Ealing and given an address. In fact, her friends Sarah and Danielle from school were both attending college in London, so could vouch for knowing her. Megan thought they might get a bit of a shock if they were contacted though! Katherine had been explained as a friend from Paris who was also staying with them – her true background being a lot more difficult to explain!

The Doctor raised an eyebrow as Megan described the strange substance that had crawled from the woman's ear. "You were right to keep that quiet," he agreed. "Definitely alien, but I've not seen anything like that before." He took another sip of coffee from an enormous mug. "What else do we know about poor Miss Ward?"

"I found an ID badge," said Megan. "She worked at the Ambassador Hotel."

The Doctor nodded. "Good thinking. It might be nothing to do with it, but its our only lead." He drained the last of his coffee and got to his feet, crossing the café to find a vacant computer. "Good thing all these cafes have Internet access!" He slyly gave the computer terminal a short burst with his sonic screwdriver to give him credit and cracked his knuckles together. "Now then," he started tapping the keyboard, "let's see what the Ambassador is doing this week?"

Information about the hotel began to flash up on the screen and the Doctor examined the information, still tapping away. "Hello, this looks interesting," he murmured, "the Ambassador is about to host a conference for a company called 'Pharayus'."

"What's does 'Pharayus' mean?" asked Katherine, looking over the Doctor's shoulder at the computer screen.

"I've no idea," he replied, "but this could be the best place to find out….." He tapped some more keys into the search engine and a new screen suddenly appeared.

"Wow," breathed Megan, "that looks impressive.

The screen showed an elegant corporate logo for a communications company called 'Pharayus'.

**4.**

Carolyn Williams smiled as she shook Dixon's hand. "Carolyn Williams. Nice to meet you Mr. Dixon."

Dixon returned the smile. "Call me Alex. I'm the Pharayus executive in charge of the conference and your host for the next day or so." He gestured towards the reception desk area. "If you'd like to get yourself checked in and settled into your room?"

Carolyn picked up her small overnight case. "Yes of course."

"There's going to be a champagne reception at seven this evening followed by a short overview of the system. I hope you'll join us?"

Carolyn raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I wouldn't miss it for the world. I'm looking forward to finding out more about what you're developing."

Dixon smiled again. "Then I hope we won't disappoint you!"

They reached the reception desk and Dixon's smile faltered ever so slightly. "Isn't Chloe on today?" he asked the receptionist behind the long desk.

"She should be," replied the young blonde woman with a wry smile, "but she hasn't turned up!"

"Oh, well never mind. I'll leave Ms Williams in your capable hands then!" Dixon turned back to Carolyn, all smiles again. "Don't forget, this is all on Pharayus, so enjoy your stay, and we'll see you in a few hours in the Windsor suite – fifteenth floor."

Carolyn nodded and shook Dixon's outstretched hand. "Until later then?"

Dixon nodded and walked away across the lobby towards the elevators as Carolyn turned back to the blonde receptionist. "He fancies himself a bit doesn't he?" she joked.

The receptionist made a face but didn't say a word and just started to confirm Carolyn's room on her computer.

Carolyn laughed. She was going to enjoy this conference!

Dixon entered the elevator and pressed the button on the panel for the fifteenth floor. There was a lot to prepare for the conference and he couldn't afford for anything to go wrong, not at this crucial stage.

There was no-one else in the elevator and Dixon looked at himself in the mirrored walls.

Suddenly he gasped and his neck jerked in a spasm. His eyes clouded over with a silvery metal that contained tiny black dots that swam about within it.

"There has been an unexpected development," he said flatly.

**5.**

The Doctor looked admiringly at the computer screen. "Pharayus Inc." He held his chin in his hand as it rested on the table. "Certainly big scale. Wonder why I've never heard of them?" He started to read some of the information on the Home screen. "Ah, it looks like they're fairly new. Established a few years ago - it must've been a take over of an existing company – based in Switzerland it seems. Lovely place Switzerland – great chocolate and cuckoo clocks. I love cuckoo clocks!"

The Doctor broke off and stared into space for a moment. "Take over….?" He sucked the air through his lips and read more. "Pharayus are an ICT company, primarily using modular systems for business and the entertainment industry – media players, downloads, file sharing, networking and so on."

He became aware of both Megan and Katherine looking at him blankly and he grinned sheepishly. "Sorry!" He tapped some more keys. "Ok, it looks like they're just about to release a new system onto the market – 'Pharayus Elite' – an 'intelligent networking system for both business and entertainment that will be a revolution in modern systems technology and promises full interactivity, customisable modules, total miniaturisation and elegance!' Wow, not selling themselves short in any way are they?" He pointed to the screen. "Look there are the dates for the conferences – Paris, New York, Sydney, Moscow, but the first one in London at the 'Ambassador'," he checked his watch, "tomorrow!"

The Doctor turned to Katherine and Megan. "I think we should go along don't you?"

Megan nodded. "It'll be a bit posh though won't it? Perhaps Katherine and I had better get some new dresses, you know, in case there's a cocktail party or whatever?"

The Doctor grinned at her.

Megan straightened her stiff mauve uniform as she pushed the trolley that carried the clean towels and napkins down the corridor of the hotel towards the lift.

She could kill the Doctor sometimes!

A little bit of hacking on the computer into the 'Ambassador' hotel website and a phone call from the Doctor adopting a silly voice, and suddenly she was a temp replacement for staff whilst he was posed as a big shot IT whiz-kid and Katherine got to be his secretary!

She sighed, realising she was the best choice for the undercover job. Katherine's unfamiliarity with the twenty first century would expose her immediately.

The lift door opened and Megan smiled as a good-looking man stepped out. She read the name on a badge on his lapel 'Alex Dixon'.

**6.**

Dixon barely glanced at Megan; he just strode past her and down the corridor. But Megan immediately recognised the 'Pharayus' logo on his name badge. She pushed her trolley into the lift and turned around, biting her lip in indecision. Then, before she could change her mind, and before the lift doors could close, pushed the trolley back out of the lift and down the hotel corridor after Dixon.

It was time to try and find some information!

The Doctor lent casually against the reception desk as the girl behind it checked his reservation. He winked at Katherine who looked stunning in a shimmering midnight blue cocktail dress. They had returned to the TARDIS for the attire and the Doctor had changed into his 'lucky' dinner suit.

"I'm afraid I can't find your booking sir?" the receptionist said apologetically.

The Doctor smiled and produced the psychic paper from his jacket pocket. "No, no there you are look! I'm with the Pharayus conference - Doctor John Smith and my secretary Miss de Gallois. Two rooms!"

The receptionist studied the blank paper and then called up the Pharayus reservations. "Ah yes," she said brightly, rooms two fifty three and two fifty four. The champagne reception is in the Windsor suite in fifteen minutes sir."

The Doctor put out his arm and grinned at Katherine. "Shall we?"

Carolyn Williams admired herself in the mirror. The black sparkly dress she had bought from the fashion house in Paris certainly looked good on her. Carolyn smiled - it should do considering how many Euros it had cost! Still she would put it to good use and could claim it back as expenses to 'UK Media' anyway! She put on her best earrings, checked her lipstick and hair, and then grabbed a small bag off her bed.

It was time for the champagne reception in the Windsor suite. It was her job to charm the birds off the trees, find out if this system that Pharayus was offering was indeed any good, and see if she could persuade any of their representatives, like that smarmy man Dixon, if they would let her have it cheap!

She turned off the light, opened the door of her hotel room and stepped out into the corridor. Carolyn could see one of the hotel staff pushing a linen trolley towards her.

Then she looked again and her eyes widened. "Megan?" she gasped.

Megan stared at the woman in front of her. "Mum!"

**7.**

Megan sat on the bed of Carolyn's bed in her hotel room whilst her Mum stood with her hands on hips looking down with that faintly disapproving look that Megan remembered so well from her childhood. In fact, Megan thought ruefully, she could be seven years old again right now!

"So you're working for the hotel?" said Carolyn with a frown.

Megan sighed. This wasn't going to be easy. "Not exactly mum, you see….."

Before she could explain further, Carolyn interrupted her – just like she always did. "I thought you were still studying at Aberystwyth?"

"I am!"

Carolyn wasn't listening. "Don't say you've chucked it all in!"

"I haven't Mum honestly!"

"It's that father of yours isn't it?"

"Mum, no!"

"He hasn't persuaded you to work in that pub has he?"

Megan bit her lip. She was getting worked up, as usual when she spent time with her Mum. "No, he hasn't. I mean, I do work there when I'm home from university; on holidays and that!"

"I knew it!" shouted Carolyn. She crossed the hotel room reaching for her mobile phone. "I'm going to give him a call and tell him he can't wreck your future!"

"Mum," warned Megan, "don't you dare. Dad hasn't done anything to me!"

"Yeah, right," scoffed Carolyn, picking up the phone. "Like he's the perfect father and husband!"

"Mum!" screamed Megan, finally losing her temper. "Will you listen to me for once?" She snatched the phone from Carolyn's hand and threw it onto the bed with anger. "Just listen!"

Carolyn looked at her daughter in shock.

"I'm still at university okay! I just help Dad out when I'm home – God knows he needs it. It's his pride and joy Mum and he's not sure if he's going to make it!" Megan was shouting now. "Not that you care with your high powered job and travelling all over the world all the time!" Megan's eyes glistened with tears "Just because you and Dad couldn't make it in a marriage, don't take it out on him! He's a great Dad and I love him to death!" The tears came freely now. "Just like I love you!"

**8.**

The Windsor suite was full of round tables set for dinner with white linen tablecloths and napkins. At the end of the room were a screen and podium, clearly for a presentation or speech, with the Pharayus logo gently rotating on the screen. A few dozen people; men in evening suits and women in cocktail dresses, mingled around the room sipping at champagne from their glasses.

The Doctor picked up two glasses of champagne from a waitress as he entered the suite. He passed one glass to Katherine with a smile.

Katherine smiled back. "I love champagne," she said as she took a sip, "ever since I was a girl! My Papa owned a small vineyard you know?"

The Doctor raised his glass to hers. "Here's to your Papa then Katherine; cheers!"

Katherine glanced around the room. "It certainly looks as if they've gone to a lot of expense?"

The Doctor nodded. "Yes it does; clearly important then."

Katherine giggled. "This is much more fun than dusty old mines and mountains. We should do this more often!" Then she remembered Megan. "Poor Megan; she would've loved this!"

The Doctor grinned. "Yes she would; but a job's a job!" He glanced around at the various men and women in the room. "Let's go and mingle with the attendees, find out what we can!"

He walked across to a man wearing spectacles that stood on his own at the side of the room. The man was in his early thirties, a bit lanky and with slightly greasy gelled brown hair.

"Hello," the Doctor extended his hand. "Doctor John Smith."

The man shook his hand. "Dan Abbott – ICT consultant at Panorama Chemicals. Who are you with?" he asked.

"Me?" replied the Doctor, "oh I'm just a freelancer!"

"Really," said Abbott, raising an eyebrow, "I thought Pharayus were only inviting us industry big boys?"

Katherine stifled a grin as the Doctor smiled innocently back. "Perhaps I'm bigger on the inside?" He took a small sip of his champagne. "Anything you can share with us minnows?" the Doctor whispered conspiratorially, leaning closer to Abbott.

Abbott raised an eyebrow. "Nothing about our specs mate!" he replied coolly. "But," he paused, lowering his voice and glancing around the room. "Have you met our illustrious host Mr Alex Dixon yet?"

The Doctor gave a small smile. "No, tell me more?"

**9.**

Carolyn held Megan to her as she wept - mother and daughter. How it should be thought Carolyn a little guiltily. She never had much of a mothering instinct. Megan had been born, unplanned and almost just after she and David had been married. A month or so after Carolyn had landed the job with the then fledgling UK Media group. Everything at once. Carolyn used to think that it was so unfair on her. She had made her choice long ago and endured endless nannies and arguments with David because of it

She took a deep breath and pulled away from Megan, wiping her daughter's eyes gently with her fingers. "Okay, so if you're not working for the hotel, what are you doing here?"

Megan looked at her mother, blinked away the tears and gave her a weak smile. How would she believe this? And what could Megan tell her? She didn't want the Doctor to be angry with her. "It's a bit difficult to explain Mum," she began.

"Well perhaps you should try," interrupted Carolyn. Then she saw the flare of anger in her daughter's eyes – she was doing it again! "Alright, sorry, go on."

Megan bit her lip. "I'm kind of undercover."

Carolyn just raised her eyebrows.

"We're investigating this company," continued Megan.

Carolyn folded her arms. "We?"

"The Doctor, Katherine and me."

Carolyn looked hard at her daughter. "Who's the Doctor?"

Megan took a deep breath. "He's this guy I'm travelling with." Megan saw the look in her mother's eyes and hurried on. "It's just that there's this Pharayus company….."

Carolyn got to her feet and walked across to the mini-bar. "You're investigating the Pharayus Corporation?" she asked Megan. "Oh boy, I could do with a drink!"

Alex Dixon sat in a leather chair in his executive suite. He took a sip of his whisky as he listened to the conversation between Carolyn and Megan that issued from a small speaker on the desk in front of him. It had been so easy to bug the rooms of all the delegates, especially when he had secured dear Chloe's help - standard policy that always paid off.

"The Doctor……?" he murmured softly.

**10**.

Unaware that his cover had already been blown, the Doctor was pressing Dan Abbott for more information about Dixon.

"Dixon used to work for NetWorld – the company that Pharayus took over two years ago. He was just a systems analyst apparently, no-one had ever heard of him in the IT 'playground' so to speak." Abbott took another sip of his champagne. "Then suddenly Dixon became a partner in the company and has been one of the big 'faces' in Pharayus who keeps bothering us other companies with their new products!"

"Perhaps he just got promoted?" shrugged Katherine.

"Perhaps," sneered Abbott, "but that quickly? I doubt it!"

"Leaving the character references aside for a minute," continued the Doctor, "who's the head of Pharayus? I mean its based in Switzerland isn't it, but that's not a Swiss name. Who's in control?"

Abbott shrugged. "Don't know mate, I'm only interested in seeing whether this baby they're promoting really does do all they say it can; whether we can use it in Panorama; and how much it costs!" He checked his watch. "The presentation is supposed to start in a few minutes!"

Alex Dixon checked his watch. He was due in the Windsor suite shortly so he got to his feet and drained the last mouthful of whisky from the glass before putting it on the desk. Dixon paused for a moment considering his options. UK Media was certainly a big player and it would be a shame if Pharayus didn't have a foothold in it. But he couldn't take the risk with the Williams woman knowing too much. He sighed with regret, but there would be other, later, opportunities.

Dixon opened a drawer in the desk and pulled out a small laptop computer. He then crossed the suite to a large TV screen that was hung on the wall and connected some wires from the laptop to the screen. He pressed some buttons on the laptop and almost immediately the screen lit up and displayed a complex circuit pattern – the central processor network of the hotel.

Dixon closed his eyes and when he opened them a second later they were silver in colour with a mass of swarming black dots. He placed his hands on the TV screen and suddenly a silvery liquid like mercury seemed to flow from his hands and into the TV screen.

**11.**

In the hotel room, Carolyn had raided the min-bar and poured herself a large gin and tonic. She took a large gulp and then looked down at Megan who was still sat on the bed. "You're investigating the Pharayus Corporation?" she asked slowly.

Megan nodded. "Do you know who they are?

Carolyn snorted with laughter. "That's the reason I'm here. I'm attending the conference!" She took another sip of her drink. "Why are you 'investigating' them anyway?"

Megan lowered her voice. "We think they killed this woman."

"Pardon me?"

Megan sighed. "There was this woman who worked here and died when we were in Henriks."

In the Windsor suite, there was a small ripple of applause as Alex Dixon entered the room and stepped onto the podium with a beaming smile.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for attending this little presentation this evening. I really am very grateful for you being here and I know," he paused ever so slightly, "that we have some very special experts here tonight. I promise I won't take too long explaining the basic principles of the new system, and then we can all enjoy some of the wonderful food that the hotel has provided. So, now, without further delay, can I present the Pharayus Elite system…"

"Alien!" chuckled Carolyn with disbelief. "Tell me you're kidding right?"

Megan shook her head. "Oh Mum, just accept it okay? I've seen things you wouldn't believe…"

"With this Doctor?" interrupted Carolyn.

"Yes," Megan nodded and then paused to wipe the sweat from her brow. "God, it's hot in here!" She looked around the room. "Have you got the heating up?"

Carolyn shook her head. "No, I don't think so?" She leant across to the thermostat on the wall and reached out to twist it off, but snatched her hand back quickly. "That's boiling!" She waved her hand to cool it down and peered at the control. "It looks normal, the display is reading eighteen degrees."

"It's a lot hotter than that!" said Megan and crossed the room to open the door. She reached for the handle and then had second thoughts and just touched it quickly. It too was scalding hot.

Megan ran into the bathroom and picked up a towel. Putting it around her hand, she tugged at the door handle to the room, but it wouldn't budge.

The temperature in the room was getting higher and higher.

**12**.

Sweat poured off Megan as she struggled to open the door. "It's locked!" she cried.

"Hang on," Carolyn reached for her room key card from her back and then screamed as her leg brushed a radiator. "That's boiling too!"

It was becoming difficult to breath and the air seemed to ripple with the heat.

"If we don't get out of here soon, we're going to cook!" yelled Megan, stepping back from the door to let her mother try the swipe card.

But instead of opening the door, there was a fierce spark of electricity from the door's electronic lock and Carolyn clutched at her injured hand with a scream. "It's a death trap in here!"

Megan rushed back into the room and grabbed a chair. Raising it high over her head, she brought it crashing down on the electronic lock. There was another shower of sparks, but then, much to her relief, the lock clicked back and the door swung open.

Panting with the exertion, Megan and Carolyn ran from the room and collapsed onto the cool carpet of the hotel corridor.

"And there you have it," finished Dixon with a smile as the presentation ended and the rotating logo of the Pharayus Corporation appeared back on the screen.

The Doctor, Katherine and Abbott were sat at one of the round tables. The Doctor took off his glasses and put them in his pocket, wrinkling his nose in thought. "Well it is good," he muttered, "no doubt about that."

Abbott nodded. "If it does all that, they're going to want a packet for it!"

Dixon, still smiling, continued from the podium. "Now I know what you're all thinking about. How much will it cost me?"

A murmur of agreement ran around the room, but Dixon's smile just widened. "Well, I can't discuss specifics of course at this stage, but rest assured that it won't be as expensive as you think! But enough of that in our personal meetings tomorrow; for tonight, let's just enjoy the hospitality of the Ambassador hotel!"

Dixon stepped off the podium to a round of applause from the delegates. His eyes swept around the room until he found the Doctor and then he walked towards him with his arm outstretched. "You must be the Doctor?"

**13.**

The Doctor was a little taken aback by Dixon's recognition, but covered it well. "Yes, and this is my secretary Miss de Gallois."

Dixon smiled at Katherine who smiled graciously back. "A pleasure," he said.

"That was a very impressive demonstration Mr. Dixon," continued the Doctor. "Some very neat systems you've got there and the bandwidth solution was inspired. Years ahead of its time…"

"Thank you Doctor."

The Doctor scratched his chin. "I hope you don't mind me asking Mr Dixon, but how do you know me?"

"Oh, I pride myself in knowing all our attendees. Besides, your young friend who works for the hotel just happened to mention you."

"Megan?" Katherine asked.

The Doctor's smile vanished, as he feared the worst. "How do you know her?" he demanded.

Dixon's smile never faltered. "Perhaps we should have a private interview?" He gestured to a side room and walked towards it confidently, without looking whether anyone was following him.

"Find Megan," hissed the Doctor urgently to Katherine and then got up and followed Dixon.

Katherine turned to Abbott. "Can you help me, please? We think our friend is in danger!"

Abbott shrugged. "Yeah, if you like!" he said hesitantly.

Megan helped Carolyn to her feet. "Are you okay Mum?"

Carolyn nodded, the sweat still pouring off her. "Yes, I think so. What happened?"

"I think someone tried to kill us!"

"That's madness!"

Megan nodded. "Come on, we'd better find the Doctor!"

They walked a short way along the corridor to the lift, pressed the button and went inside. Megan pressed the control for the Windsor suit and the lift started going down.

But suddenly, the panel sparked. The lift gave a jerk and then started to plummet downwards at a terrifying speed, throwing Megan and Carolyn to the floor with a scream.

The Doctor entered the small interview room that had a conference table, with a small computer on it, and eight chairs. Dixon closed the door behind him and crossed the room to place his hand on the computer terminal.

"Perhaps you had just better tell me who or what you really are, and what are you doing on this planet!" said the Doctor grimly, his face set.

Dixon had closed his eyes. When he opened them again they were silver and contained masses of swarming dots. But as the Doctor watched, Dixon's entire face and hands started to change and were covered in a metallic silver sheen. Dixon opened his mouth and his voice was deep and modulated, almost electronic.

"We are the Pharayan Host, and we have come to infect the Earth!"

**14.**

The Doctor watched in fascination as silvery fluid crawled from the computer terminal that Dixon was touching and flowed into his arm. He had never seen anything like it before in all his travels. "And what exactly is the 'Pharayan Host'?" asked the Doctor defiantly.

"We are unique, superior life. We have conquered our dimension, now we wish to expand into this one!"

The Doctor looked hard at Dixon and the transformation he had undergone. He took a step closer and put on his glasses to examine the swarming dots that coursed under Dixon's skin. His mind raced as he tried to put together everything that had happened. "Ah," he cried as it all started to make sense. "You're microscopic aren't you? And robotic too considering your abilities with computers!" He clicked his fingers. "That's how you can manipulate the systems and develop the improvements you were selling!"

Dixon just nodded. "Our trap needs bait!"

"Nanobots! A race of aware nanobots!" The Doctor whistled in admiration. "That's incredible, it really is. From the microscopic dimension to the macro one!" Then his face became hard. "But what you want is illegal. This is a level five planet!"

Dixon clicked and gurgled. "Your Shadow Proclamation means nothing to us!"

"Then I'm going to stop you!" The Doctor quickly drew his sonic screwdriver and pointed it at Dixon. There was a high- pitched whine and Dixon closed his eyes, grimaced in agony and his silver hands over his ears.

The Doctor wasted no time and dashed to the door of the small conference room and back out into the Windsor suite as the assembled delegates were eating their meal.

"Get out," he shouted desperately, "It's all a trap! Get out now!" He ran through the room and across to the main double doors as the delegates looked at hi with a mixture of anger and disbelief.

But then Dixon, his face still metallic, staggered out after the Doctor. The delegates gasped as the alien took a deep breath. "Oh no Doctor, you won't escape so easily!" Dixon snarled, producing a complex device from his pocket. "We will just accelerate the program a little earlier!" Dixon managed a gruesome smile. "Some of you, like dear Chloe, have already been infected. Call it a 'special introductory offer'!"

He pressed a button on the device and the screaming began.

**15.**

The lift that carried Megan and Carolyn hurtled downwards.

Inside the lift, both women had been thrown to the floor and hugged each other in abject terror

"Mum, I love you," gasped Megan

Tears ran down Carolyn's cheeks. "I'm so sorry Megan. I love you too!"

Suddenly, as the Pharayan nanobots that were controlling the lift were called to infect the conference delegates, the lift computer came back on-line and it juddered to an abrupt halt. Megan and Carolyn were thrown apart by the impact and sprawled on the floor.

There was silence as Megan's eye's fluttered open and she looked around. She took a deep breath and then sat up, clutching at her head. "Mum, are you alright?" she asked desperately as she saw Carolyn lying next to her.

Carolyn sat up gingerly and then winced, clutching at her wrist. "I think so," she gasped in agony, "but I think I've broken my wrist trying to stop my fall!"

Megan crawled across to her. "Here, let me see." She examined her mother's wrist gently as Carolyn winced again. "Either a break or a bad sprain." Megan looked up and around her. "At least we're alive!"

Carolyn nodded. "What happened?"

"I don't know, I think we're stuck between floors." Megan stabbed at the lift buttons but there was no response. "It looks like the controls are dead." She pressed the emergency button anyway.

"I thought we were dead!" whispered Carolyn.

Megan looked down at her Mum, still sat on the floor and cradling her wrist. "Me too!" She sat down next to Carolyn and smiled ruefully. "Seems to happen a lot to me lately, travelling with the Doctor."

Carolyn raised an eyebrow. "Your mystery man?" she asked. "Are you and he……?"

"No, no," explained Megan hurriedly. "There's Katherine with us for a start. No, we just travel together."

"So, how did you meet this Doctor?"

"He and Kath just turned up at 'The Stag' one day when I was working. There was," Megan paused, " a bit of trouble that I helped them sort out. They kind of opened my eyes about things, so I decided to go with them."

"Travelling?" Carolyn asked and Megan nodded. "I never thought you wanted to travel?"

A sudden spark of anger ignited in Megan. "Like you'd know!" She regretted it immediately. "Well, there was nothing really to keep me there," she finished quietly.

Carolyn nodded slowly. "I know," she whispered and then gave a brave laugh. "God, I'm a rubbish mother!" She cleared her throat. "So, where have you been?"

Megan paused again and looked hard at her mother. Could she tell her the truth? Would she believe her?

**16.**

"I've been travelling through time and space!" Megan stammered, avoiding her mother's eyes.

Carolyn's eyes were like saucers. "Excuse me?"

Megan sighed. She knew it would be hard. How could she tell her mother about fleeing from the Karzak aboard the _Eclipse, _or her adventures in Reef City One? Would she believe that Megan had been to the Wild West and fought terrifying stone golems?

But, here they were, trapped in a lift and at the mercy of some alien or other. It was probably going to a while before they were rescued.

"Well, the Doctor has a TARDIS," she began.

Katherine and Daniel Abbott were at the long reception desk in the lobby of the hotel.

"Please," asked Katherine, "would you be able to locate one of your staff? Her name's Megan Williams."

The receptionist smiled politely. "Is there something wrong with the service Madam?"

Katherine exchanged a look with Abbott, but he just shrugged. "No," Katherine continued, "but she's a friend of mine. We just need to find her. It is urgent!" she pleaded.

"I'm sorry," continued the receptionist, the smile still fixed to her face, "I can check the duty rosters or try to page her over the intercom system, but I can't actually pin her down to anywhere."

But as she did so, a service engineer approached the desk. "One of your lifts stuck on floor three?" he asked. "I was told someone's trapped inside?"

Katherine looked at Abbott. "Come on!" she cried, and ran to the stairs.

"Well?" asked Megan as she finished telling her story.

Carolyn struggled to find the right words. "It's impossible to take in," she stammered.

Megan gently held her mother's shoulders. "Mum, I know, but its true, every word of it!"

Carolyn just shrugged and nodded with a small smile. "Megan," she began, but was interrupted by a banging from the lift doors.

Megan got to her feet. "They've found us!" she shouted, laughing with relief.

With a groan, the lift doors were slowly prised apart by a crowbar. The lift had stuck between floors and a man's head could just be seen on the floor below. As the doors opened wider, Megan grinned as she saw Katherine's worried face behind him.

"Kath!" she shouted as she helped Carolyn through the lift doors. "You found us!"

**17.**

Abbott helped Carolyn down to the corridor. Megan jumped down next to them, giving Katherine a big hug. "You don't know how pleased I am to see you!" she laughed.

Katherine smiled back as she hugged her friend. "Me too Megan."

Megan stepped back and gestured to Carolyn. "This is my Mum!"

Carolyn held out her good hand and shook Katherine's. "Nice to meet you. So you're the Katherine that travels with Megan?" she asked.

Katherine smiled, but looked at Megan with her eyes wide. Megan smiled sheepishly and shrugged back.

"And I'm Dan Abbott;" Abbott said caustically. "What next?"

Katherine just shrugged. "I don't know, the Doctor said…"

Carolyn interrupted her. "Oh, the Doctor's here?"

Before Katherine, who was a little stunned at Carolyn's knowledge, could answer, the lean figure of the Doctor came dashing up the stairs and ran towards them.

"Did I hear my name mentioned?" he panted grinning. He looked around at the others and at Carolyn. "Hello!"

"Hello Doctor," said Carolyn with a wry smile. "I'm Megan's mother. I've heard so much about you!"

"Megan's mother?" He took a wary step backwards. "You're not going to slap me are you?" he frowned.

Carolyn shook her head in amusement as they shook hands. "Why would I want to do that?"

The Doctor sighed. "Well, it makes a change!" He took a breath. "Anyway, can't wait around here. We've got work to do. Nice to see you Megan; now," he raced on, "we need to find Dixon's suite. The main transmitter will be there!"

"Transmitter to where?" asked Abbott.

"Back to the Pharayan home planet!" the Doctor explained.

"I know," cried Megan excitedly, "I was following him when I bumped into Mum! It's on floor twelve!"

"Excellent! Come on then!" cried the Doctor. "We'll take the stairs!" He dashed back from the lift and into the stairwell and started to race upwards as the others followed him.

As they rushed up the stairs however, there was a sudden crash as one of the doors to the hotel floors burst open and a group of Pharayus delegates and a few hotel staff appeared. All of their faces were covered in a metallic sheen that contained swarms of tiny nanobots.

With an electronic moan, they advanced on the Doctor and the others.

**18.**

The Doctor pulled up short and Katherine, Megan, Carolyn and Abbott almost cannoned into the back of him. He whipped out his sonic screwdriver and pointed it at the controlled humans. There was a high-pitched whine that made the Pharayan pause, but the effect was far less dramatic than it had been on Dixon. Their movements became a little erratic, but still they pressed forward.

"Of course, the Pharayan is too dilute, it has no effect!" cried the Doctor, turning off the screwdriver. It had only created the tiniest of breathing spaces. "Allonsey!" he shouted to the others, and dashed back up the stairs, the others following close behind and the Pharayan humans in close pursuit.

They burst onto floor twelve and Megan took the lead. "This way!" she yelled, leading the others up the hotel corridor. "It's the suite at the end!"

The Doctor brandished his sonic screwdriver but Megan had already reached the door to Dixon's suite and held up a plastic card. "Pass key!" she grinned as she swiped it through the lock.

Katherine looked over her shoulder. "Doctor, they're still coming!" she yelled as she saw the Pharayan humans stagger through the stair doors behind them.

Suddenly, a lift door opened just next to the suite. Inside the lift were more delegates controlled by the Pharayans, their skin metallic silver. With the, his face contorted in fury, was Dixon.

"Get them!" he ordered. "They must not destroy the link!"

Megan managed to get the door to the suite open and rushed in. The Doctor pushed Katherine and Carolyn ahead of him and into the room, but before Abbott could get through the Pharayan humans had grabbed him.

He struggled and yelled in fear, but there were just too many of them and they forced him to the ground, swarming all over him as his yells turned to screams.

The Doctor watched in anguish, but there was nothing he could do. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he muttered before turning and dashing into the suite and slamming the door behind him.

The Pharayan humans stood back as Abbott got to his feet, his face now metallic silver.

With Dixon in the lead, they advanced towards the suite.

**19.**

"You've got to hold them back!" shouted the Doctor to the others as he quickly scanned the expensive suite for a sign of the computer that linked to the Pharayan home planet.

Megan tried to lock the door, Katherine and Carolyn behind her, but there was a sudden spark of electricity from the electronic lock and she fell back with a gasp of pain.

Outside the suite, Dixon removed his hand from the door lock, smiling in triumph.

He stood back as the other Pharayans surged forwards.

"We can't lock the door!" screamed Carolyn in terror.

"Then you'll just have to push against it!" yelled the Doctor. "I need that time!" He tore around the suite opening drawers and wardrobes frantically.

Katherine and Megan reached around and grabbed two heavy chairs. Taking care not to touch the door-lock, they thrust the chairs under the lock and pushed with all the desperate strength they could summon.

There was a triumphant shout from the Doctor as he pushed back a painting on the wall to reveal a screen with a computer terminal attached. With a grim smile, his hands began to fly across the keys as he tried to deduce the codes that would cut the Pharayan link.

The door shuddered as the Pharayans pushed against it.

"We can't hold them!" shouted Megan.

"Doctor, hurry!" Katherine cried as the three women were pushed back. "Use your sonic screwdriver!"

The Doctor was concentrating on the complex sequence of numbers and symbols that covered the screen in front of him. "The codes have to be entered manually," he shouted back. "It's not a magic wand!" he muttered.

With a tremendous crash, the Pharayans finally pushed the chairs from the doors and threw Katherine, Megan and Carolyn backwards into the suite.

The women retreated in fear as the metallic-skinned Pharayans, Dixon at their head, advanced towards them. Dixon's face was twisted into a demonic leer. "Now you will join the Host!" he snarled.

The Doctor spun around to face them and shook his head. "Not today!" With a grin he reached out and stabbed a final button. The symbols and code sequences on the screen behind him were suddenly deleted; collapsing inwards, and the screen went dark.

The effect was instant and with an anguished electronic scream, Dixon and all the other Pharayans collapsed to the floor and lay still.

**20**

It was a busy London morning as traffic moved slowly along the roads past Tower Bridge. A cold wind blew up the Thames and the grey clouds overhead threatened rain as four people walked towards a small alley.

"We've just signed up 'The Jackals' last week," boasted Carolyn, her wrist now in a sling.

"Really!" beamed the Doctor, "oh, I love them! You couldn't get me Eddie Hide's autograph could you?"

They turned a corner and found the TARDIS.

"A Police Box?" asked Carolyn, her tongue firmly in her cheek. "You travel around Time and Space in a Police Box?"

"Absolutely!" smiled the Doctor, patting the TARDIS affectionately. "It's the only way to travel!"

"You're sure everyone will be alright Doctor?" asked a concerned Katherine.

He nodded. "All the staff and delegates, including Mr Abbott, will be fine. The Pharayan infection was too dilute to cause permanent damage. They probably just woke up with a bad, well, really bad, headache!"

"And Dixon?" asked Carolyn.

The Doctor shook his head sadly. "The Pharayan Host was too deeply embedded in his mind. The removal of it would've destroyed his synapses. I'm sorry."

There was a slight silence. Megan had been quiet since they had left the hotel and looked as if she was holding back tears. The Doctor glanced between Megan and Carolyn and sensed what they were feeling. "It's alright," he said to Megan gently, "I understand!"

The tears came freely now and Megan flung her arms around the Doctor. "I can't!"

Katherine looked up at the Doctor. "What's wrong?"

The Doctor hugged Megan. "Megan's not coming with us," he said simply.

"I've had such a fantastic time," sobbed Megan, "but now I've got to stay." She turned to a stunned Katherine and hugged her as well. "You've been like a sister to me Katherine. I'll miss you so much!"

Katherine just nodded, overcome with the emotion and the suddenness of the decision. "I'll miss you too!"

Carolyn held out her good hand. "Thank you Doctor; for looking after her; for bringing her back to me!"

The Doctor shook her hand. "You're welcome," he smiled, and then turned to Katherine. "Time we were off!"

Katherine nodded and giving Carolyn and Megan a tearful wave, she followed the Doctor into the TARDIS.

Carolyn put her arm around her daughter's shoulders and they stood back as, with a strange groaning sound, the TARDIS dematerialised and vanished into nothing.

"Come on," smiled Carolyn, looking at Megan, "I'm on leave. Let's go home!"

The Pharayus Deal – Confidential

So how many of you guessed that Megan would leave?

Truth to tell, even I wasn't sure at the start, but as the story started to get written, it seemed blindingly obvious that this was a great leaving story for her. If she had stayed in the TARDIS, how could I have written a better way of her going? This was too good an opportunity to miss really.

The story's genesis actually came about when I was watching the BBC adaptation of 'Sense and Sensibility' over Christmas and thought what a great actress Janet McTeer was, and how she would be great in Doctor Who. So the original plan was to have a high-powered businesswoman as an enemy.

This threw up a few problems, not least the imminent arrival of Sarah Lancashire on TV as Miss Foster. It also had echoes of my own villain Joseph Denham from earlier in the series.

When I had initially written Megan from 'Whispers in the Shadows' I knew she came from a family that I wanted to be different from both Rose and Martha. So she lived with Dad and Mum was away; not divorced, but just estranged. So the high-powered businesswoman enemy for this story became Megan's mum and Janet McTeer would be playing her!

By the time I had decided upon this I had just finished 'Ocean of Deceit' and was just about to embark on writing the two-part story that was 'Avatars of Stone' and 'Demon in the Smoke'. I made sure that there were a few references in there about Megan's mum to foreshadow this story; the scene between Katherine and Megan at night talking in the Indian camp being the best example.

So I needed a new enemy for the story, but didn't want it to be too 'big' or it would overshadow the main theme of the story that was the reconciliation between mother and daughter. . When I started writing I had marked in scenes that had to go in, such as the 'trapped together' moments in the room and the lift, and the rest of the story had to fit around those! Looking back, the Pharayans come across as nano-genes gone bad, but that wasn't my intention!

Eleven scripts down and only two more to go – the season finale.

I hope I can write something really spectacular……………….


End file.
